Some of the most talented emerging 23-year old players in South Africa whose careers are at an infancy stage, will assemble at the Bishops Indoor Centre and Newlands from Wednesday 17th June for an intensive high-performance program.

Salieg Nackerdien and Charl Langeveldt are at the helm of the program that might boost the skills-levels of the talented crop of players and could even bolster their chances of a call-up to semi-professional or full professional level in the near future. Nackerdien said the program is aimed at equipping the players with more technical skills, conditioning exercises, goal setting and the emotional and psychological building blocks to accelerate their growth to cricket maturity. Langeveldt, who was recently appointed as South African bowling coach, and Nackerdien, the assistant coach of the Cape Cobras, successfully led a similar program in the winter of 2014. Several players produced blockbuster performances the past couple of seasons. Mpilo Njoloza took a hat-trick in his maiden franchise-match for the Cape Cobras in the 2014/2015-season. Macello Piedt of South Western Districts boasts a career-best seven for six and is a more than useful medium-paced bowler. Nackerdien said the management team has identified a challenge or two that needs to be addressed. They have realized the need for continuously monitoring the progress of the players who enrolled in the high performance program, during the summer-season. Apart from technical batting and bowling skills, the former national players Justin Kemp and Andrew Puttick will also meet with the emerging players to share their professional in-put. Puttick smashed 652 runs for the Cape Cobras in the Momentum One Day Cup competition in the 2014/2015-season. Kemp impressed by hammering 374 runs in the Sunfoil Series and finished the four-day competition with a sensational 143 against the Sunfoil Dolphins last season. Bradley Player, a former player of Free State and Western Province, will represent the South African Cricket-players Association and will speak to the young players about planning, goal setting and a professional mind-set. Nackerdien has been part of the successful management team of the Cape Cobras, the most dominant franchise in South Africa the past six seasons. Langeveldt has nurtured and fine-tuned the development of some of South Africa’s finest bowlers at the Cape Cobras and Western Province the past few seasons. Sherman Baatjes, new fitness and conditioning coach of the Cape Cobras, will conduct conditioning sessions with the players on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The program finishes on 17th July. The full squad who will assemble for the high-performance program is: Western Province: Brian Shushu, Mpilo Njoloza, Aviwe Mgijima, Mbulelo Nkomo, Zolile Baka, Jason Smith, Thokozani Peter, Emmanuel Seberame, Saul Arnstey; Boland: Riyaad Henry, Jean Bredenkamp, Junaid Cassiem, Soyisile Pono, Zakhele Qwabe; South Western Districts: Siya Simetu, Lonwabo Rodolo, Marcello Piedt.